Death, Loss and New Beginnings
by Young and the Hopeless
Summary: Chapter 9 is up! With Kai gone back to Russia will Ray be able to cope? Will Tyson be able to live with out Max by his side? Please Review!I really would like to know if you like it! Death of a Character!BoyxBoy Relationships. RayXKai TysonXMax
1. With Death Comes Pain

Disclaimer: I do not own and never will own the bayblade characters. I'm sorry if I upset anyone by the death of an important character (And I mean like a major character). Pairings: KaixRay and TysonXMax

Chapter One.

**With death comes pain.**

Flash back

'Everybody down!' A shot was fired and I hear screams coming from all around me.

I turn around to see where the shoot was fired. Tala one of the nerdy guys from my PE class was holding a gun and standing in the doorway of my biology class.

I get pushed to the ground as everyone drops down, doing what he says hoping that they wouldn't get hurt, that they would be spared by the crazed teen.

'Don't anyone move or I'll blow your fucking head off!' he shouts again. His hand shaking as he lowers the gun and wipes the sweat from his forehead with his other hand.

'Tala what are you doing?' I hear someone say. I look over to see one of my best friend Max slowly standing up with his hands up showing that he wasn't going to harm him. Max was always like that she always wanted to help people no matter what it cost him, even thought that this very minute his life was in danger, he didn't care he just wanted to help him. 

'Max get down he'll shoot you,' I whisper as he looks down at me and waves his hand at me so I would keep quiet. I look at him with pleading eyes willing him to sit down next to me so that he was out of harms way.

'Shut up!' he yells as Max slowly moves forward, step-by-step getting closer to him, closer to the danger.

'Come on Tala tell me, why you want to hurt us?'

I watch, silently as he moves closer to him. I want to get up all I want I to get up and grab him so that he wouldn't go any closer, I want and stop him but a hand on my back is telling me to keep down. I look beside me to see that, that hand belongs to my boyfriend, Kai. Who is keeping a watchful eye on our gunman, just in case he tries to do anything stupid.

'Do you want to know?' Tala asks as Max nods. 'Ok I'll tell you why. It's because you think you're all so special.' He starts waving the gun around carelessly as he moves his hand. 'You all think you're so...so superior. That's right, Most of all, all you people in the trendy group,' he points the gun over to where my friends and I are laying. I start to hear some of them begin to whisper as I look over to them. They are hoping that he wouldn't hurt them; they start to say that they are too pretty to die.

I look back to Max, he has stopped walking and now he is standing in the middle of the classroom, between my group and Tala.

'And none of you people care about anybody else apart from yourselves. Least of all, all us smart people or geeks as some of you call us.'

'Tala that's not true,' Max shot back; as he sounded very sorry for him and the way that he thought we treated him. Max would never think of anyone like that, I know we have all thought that way before and it would be a lie if I didn't say that I am happy that I am popular.

'Don't say that,' Tala began to wave the gun franticly at Max. 'Don't stand there like you know me and under...' **BANG!** A shot is fired

'Max!'

End of Flash Back

Ray snapped out of his daydream to see that he was still standing in the bathroom, starring in the mirror with a bottle of sleeping pills in his hand. He could hear banging and shouting coming from behind the bathroom door behind him.

He tried to ignore it but it becomes very irritating.

"Ray open the door!" Kai shouted.

Ray tried to resist from opening the door, as he could hear the heartache in Kai's voice. The sadness. _I don't want him or me to go through this any longer, I want to end this pain for him and me, _Ray thought as he tried to block out the calls from Kai.

Ray kept starring at himself in the mirror, thinking how brave but stupid Max was. And how foolish he was for not trying to stop Max from going.

_I had many chances to get up and stop him from walking over to Tala. But I knew that I wasn't as clam as Max and I wasn't as brave as him._

Ray look away from the mirror. _I'm so ashamed to look at myself. I'm a failure. A failure as a best friend, failure as a boyfriend and a son._

Ray's friends and family had told him that it wasn't his fault, and that he didn't pull the trigger. But he couldn't believe it, he told them that it might as well have pulled it.

_I stood by and watched him get shot._

Flash Back

'Don't say that,' Tala began to wave the gun franticly at Max. 'Don't stand there like you know me and under...' **BANG!** A shot is fired

'Max!'

End of Flash Back

_I was the one who held him in my arms and watched her die._

Flash Back

'Max your going to be ok,' I said with a slight smile as I felt the tears run down my face. 'Kai has gone and got help.'

'Ray you were always the one that stayed calm,' Max said as he ran his hand down my face.

Max Gasped for air.

'Max?'

'Ray, please tell Tyson...'

'I know Max, I know. Just...just rest,' I said looking down at the bullet wound. I can't believe that this is happing. I looked back up and saw that Max's eyes were closed. 'Max?'

No answer.

'Max?!'

End of Flash Back

_I remember that there was so much blood_._ All I could think was why? Why him? I could remember crying._

Flash Back

'Ray!'

I heard someone call my name, but I couldn't concentrate on who it was, all I could see was the blood on my hands. Max's blood.

'Ray I have been looking everywhere for you," a voice said.

I looked up from my hands and saw that the voice belonged to Kai.

'Kai there's so much of it.'

'So much of what Ray?' Kai asked not sure what I was talking about.

I held my hands up for him to see. So he could see the blood that now had stained my hands.

'Oh, Ray,' Kai pulled me into a hug.

'Why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be Max?' I asked Kai through my whimpers.

End of Flash Back

After it had happened, after the police had come and taken Tala away, everyone who knew him or knew of him couldn't believe what had happened, that someone as perfect as him would die so young.

Ray repeated these words over in his head. 'It was I. I did pull the trigger. I was the one that did nothing to help him.'

Ray looked down to the sleeping pills. _Now I'm not even strong enough to live without him._

Ray pull off the lid and put half-a-dozen pills in his hand.

The banging on the door increases as Kai tried to break down the door.

Ray looked at the six yellow pills in my hand thinking how long it would take him to die. How long would it take for the pills to take action.

Ray got startled as the door behind him flies open with the force of Kai banging against it trying to get through so that he could stop Ray from harming himself.

Ray held the pills tightly in his hand as he slowly turn to see Kai puffing, from putting in so much effort to get in where his love was.

"Ray don't do this. Don't leave me, not this way."

Ray looked at him with sad eyes, as he just wanted to run over to Kai and hold him and tell him that he wasn't going to leave him and that everything will be ok.

"I can't this is the only way that I can make the pain go away, the only way I can make everything ok again. Max died and now he was expecting me to live my life without him after we have been through some much together, as friends. As a team!" Ray turned his head slightly to look away from Kai, trying not to start crying again. "This is the way it has to be Kai. This is the only way I can make the pain go away for me and everyone else."

"Ray, I can help you, I can help you take this pain away, "Kai told me as he came to my side. "What do you expect me to do without you? You know that I can't live without you."

Kai reached over to Ray's hand that was holding the sleeping pills.

"No!" Ray shouted as he pulled his hand and himself away from Kai. "You are not going to try and stop me Kai." He looked at Kai and could see the hurt. "Don't make this harder for me then it all ready is."

"Harder for you!" he exclaimed. "Ray can you see what this is doing to the people around you, your family, your friends, me?"

Ray thought about the question, but his head hurt too much to care, all he wanted now was to be alone so he could do what he needed to do, and leave this place for good.

"I...I can't do this right now Kai,' Ray pushed passed him but Kai grabbed his hand that was holding the pills, but Kai was holding his arm so tightly that Ray dropped the pills on the floor, and Kai kicked them away so that Ray wouldn't be able to find them in a hurry. "Argh!"

"You are not going to walk away from me so that you can go and find another hiding spot so you can kill yourself. I am not going to let that happen Ray I love you to much to lose you."

Still holding Ray's wrist, Kai loosened the grip, and held onto my hand.

Ray watched how he held his hand then looked up at him. "Then you must know what I am feeling then," Ray told him as he pried his hand away from Kai.

"Yes I do."

"So you must also know what I have to do to get rid of it," He started to back away but Kai followed.

"No you are not going to try it again Ray, I know what we can try and we can see if that works, but are not going to try and kill yourself again, I am not going to let that happen again."


	2. Come Home

Chapter Two  
  
Come home  
  
'What did Rai mean I have to come home and soon?' Tyson asked him self as he sat on a plane bound for Japan, while looking at a picture of his old teammates.  
  
The picture was taken before Tyson went on student exchange to Switzerland where he was going to study for two years. You see every once and a while a student is selected to go study over seas for two years, so they can learn another language and live in another culture, this time it was Tyson's turn.  
  
Tyson sighed and looked out the window. It had been such along time that he had seen everybody especially Max. 'I remember what I had told Max before I left...  
  
Flash Back  
  
"I don't want you to go Tyson...I don't want you to leave, not when everything has been going so good," Max said giving Tyson a hug.  
  
"Max listen to me," Tyson pried Max away from him. "Are you listening?"  
  
Max nodded as he wiped away a stray tear.  
  
"When I come back things will be better. We will move into together, we will be together forever and nothing will keep us apart," Tyson moved Max in for another hug.  
  
"You really mean that Tyson?" Max asked still holding Tyson close.  
  
Tyson nodded.  
  
Max pulled away from Tyson and kissed his lover goodbye.  
  
"Well I better go," Tyson said with a slight smile knowing if he didn't go now he would never leave.  
  
End of Flash Back  
  
"I still hold that promise to you Maxie," Tyson said to himself out loud.  
  
"I'm sorry where you talking to me?" the person next to Tyson asked.  
  
Tyson looked over to see a fair-haired man with bright green eyes looking at him.  
  
"Hey I know who you are. You're the boy that won the world championship Bayblading competition."  
  
"Um...yeah that would be me," Tyson said with an uneasy smile.  
  
"Oh how rude of me, I'm Jason. Jason Maxamillion," the fair-haired man held out his hand for Tyson.  
  
"Tyson Granger."  
  
"Well Tyson Granger where are you headed?" "I'm actually heading home," Tyson told him with a sigh, as he wasn't sure what he was heading home to, as Rai's tone was a happy one.  
  
"Well if your heading home why the unhappy attitude?" Jason asked as he noticed that the young blader didn't look excited to be going home to see his loved ones.  
  
"No I'm not unhappy I'm just...just tired," Tyson said with a slight smile, as he didn't want to end up telling someone that he had just met his life story. "Maybe if I had a bit of a sleep I'll be happier."  
  
"Do you want me to wake you when we are about to land?" Jason asked hoping that he didn't upset the blader.  
  
"Yeah that would be great," Tyson said laying his head down on the back of the chair and going to a dreamless sleep.  
  
Rai and Kai sat there in silence on there bed. Due the death of Max, Rai and Kai had moved in together so that they could help each other cope with the pain of the death.  
  
Kai looked over to Rai who was sitting a little away from Kai looking at the blank wall in front of him. "Rai say something please?'  
  
'Kai what would you like me to say?" Rai asked unsure what his slate-haired lover wanted.  
  
Kai sighed and closed his eyes trying to think of something that he could do. He hated to see Rai like this, he hated to see him hurting all he wanted to do was try and get rid of the pain and get his Rai back. A tear ran down Kai's cheek as he thought that there was nothing that he could do to help his Rai.  
  
Rai noticed the tear that had fallen from Kai's cheek. "K...Kai."  
  
Kai looked over to Rai and slightly smiled. "Yeah?"  
  
"Are you crying?" Rai asked as he moved closer to his team captain.  
  
"What me? The Almighty Kai crying you have got to be kidding right," Kai said with a slight smile as more tears begin to form in his eyes as he looked at his lover's eyes.  
  
"Kai what's wrong?" Rai asked forgetting about his problems and focusing on Kai.  
  
Kai stood up and away from Rai as he wiped his tears away from his eyes then turned to look at Rai. "You want to know what's wrong with me?"  
  
Rai nodded and watched Kai carefully.  
  
"You! That is what is wrong with me...the problem is that I love you and I can't leave you...I love you so much that it kills me to see you like this and it kills me even more that I can't help you through this pain. I know Max died and I wish that I could change that for you and Tyson, but I can't that isn't within my power." Kai kneeled down in front of Rai. "But if you will let me, I will be there beside your side all the way."  
  
"Of course I will," Rai said launching himself onto Kai for a hug. "I love you Kai."  
  
"I love you too, that is why I don't want you to do this to yourself Rai, don't you understand that? Don't you understand that if you leave me I will just turn back into that person I once was. You changed me Rai, you made me into the person that I am today," Kai said as he kissed the Chinese's boys forehead.  
  
"I understand Kai," Rai looked away from Kai then back to him again. "I will try."  
  
A smile can to Kai's face when he heard those words 'I will try.' It was like music to his ears. "That's great Rai, as you know we have to be strong for Tyson and Kenny." 


	3. The return to heartbreaking news

Chapter Three  
  
The Return to Heartbreaking News  
  
As Jason had said, he had waked Tyson on the plane landing. The passengers didn't have to wait long until they were escorted off the plane, to where they could get their luggage. Although Tyson didn't have to get his luggage or go the same way as the passengers due to the fact that he had a limo waiting for him on the tarmac.  
  
"What they couldn't even come to the airport and pick me up themselves," Tyson said putting his sunglasses on and walking over to the limo.  
  
"I'm sorry Mr. Granger but Mr. Hawatie and Mr. Kon had other matters to attend to," the Driver said as he opened the door.  
  
The journey home for Tyson felt like it would take a lifetime, as the excitement had finally set in. He was seeing Max. His love. He felt like he was about to burst with excitement, he just wanted to hold the boy in his arms and never let him go.  
  
As Tyson felt the car slow to a holt and heard the driver's door open then close he knew he was at Kai's and Rai. He had asked the driver to take him here as the team had been living here together as they needed to practice for the up coming tournament that Tyson was scheduled to come home for.  
  
"Mr Granger," the driver said as he opened the door for Tyson.  
  
"Thanks dude," Tyson said with a smile as he stepped out of the car and put his sunglasses on and looked at the house in front of him. "Finally home."  
  
Kai stood up and looked out the bedroom window when he heard a car pull up into the drive. "Tyson is home," Kai said looking back to Rai who was still sitting on the bed.  
  
Rai gave a slight smile then took a deep breath. 'I can do this,' Rai said to himself as he stood up and headed for the door. "I'll go get Kenny."  
  
Kai took another look out to the car that was parked in the driveway. "It's now or never."  
  
Kai went in the same direction that Rai had just gone moments ago.  
  
Tyson smiled it had been such a long time that he had seen his friends and Max. 'Well I guess I can't stand out here all day,' Tyson thought as he made his way down the driveway and to the front door. Half expecting the team to be waiting outside for him Tyson opened the door and walked in, to see that the house was in darkness.  
  
'This is odd,' Tyson thought and the driver of the limo followed him in. "Yeah can you just place them there," Tyson told him pointing to down the hall.  
  
Once the driver did this he left Tyson to his own devices.  
  
"Hello! Anyone here?"  
  
"Hey Tyson," said the husky voice of his team captain behind him.  
  
Tyson smiled slightly then turned around. "Well, well, well if it isn't Mr Sourpuss. How are you Kai?" Tyson asked as he crossed his arms in front of him.  
  
"I'm..." Kai wasn't sure how he should answer Tyson's question.  
  
"Tyson!" Kenny cried as he came running down the stairs.  
  
'Thank god,' Kai said with a sigh as Rai slowly came down the stairs to stand next to Kai. Kai looked down to him and looked into Rai's golden eyes then over to Tyson. "Hey Ty how about we going into the lounge room."  
  
"Yeah sure why not," Tyson said with a giant smile on his face, so happy to be home.  
  
Kai slightly smiled back to the boy as they all followed him back into the lounge room.  
  
"So guys where's Max?" Tyson asked as he sat down.  
  
All three of the other bladers froze. Kenny and Rai looked to Kai who moved to sit down in front of Tyson as Kenny took a seat on at the other side of the room and Rai took one next to Kai.  
  
"Tyson that's why we asked you to come home soon," Kai said trying to think of the words.  
  
"What do you mean...what's happened?" Tyson asked looking to Kai then Rai then back to Kai. There was silence.  
  
"Tell me what is fucking going on Kai!" Tyson shouted as he stood up.  
  
"Tyson maybe you should sit down for this."  
  
"No I will no sit down until you tell me what is wrong!" Tyson yelled again.  
  
Rai could tell that Kai was getting sick of Tyson's yelling. "Kai."  
  
Kai looked at Rai and into his pleading eyes. "Ok," Kai sighed and looked over to Tyson. "Tyson, it's about Max..." Kai took a deep breath and looked down to the ground. "...Max is dead." 


	4. A lie that you know is true

Chapter Four

**A lie that you know is true.**

"What?" Tyson didn't really know what else he could say. 'What are they talking about? Is this some kind of joke?'

"Tyson I'm so sorry," Ray got up and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Get away from me," Tyson said moving away from Ray. "I don't know what you three are playing at, but I want you to stop it now!"

In the background you could hear silent sobs coming from where Kenny was sitting. Knees huddled close, trying to hide from what was happing around him.

"And you stop your crying there is nothing to cry about!" Tyson yelled pointing over to where Kenny was sitting. "Max is alive I know it!"

"Hey don't yell at him, you have no idea what he has been through. What we have all been through, over these past weeks. No idea," Kai told him as he stood up to talk to the angered blader. "We have tried so hard to come to terms with Max's death as much as we possibly could."

"You're lying!" Tyson cried.

"No we're not!" Kai yelled back as he saw that Ray had too started to cry.

"You are, you stupid fuck you're lying..."

"Were not Tyson don't you understand we were there! We were saw the whole thing happen! We were there to see Max to draw his last breath! We were fucking there" Kai said noticing that he had started to cry again.

Tyson collapsed to the ground. Ray, Kenny and Kai crying that was enough to show him that the boy that he loved, his Max was dead. But how, how could this happen to his Maxie.

Everyone watched on as they saw the blue-headed blader collapse to his knees. Shock starting to set in, as he knew that they were all telling the truth about their teammates death.

Kai walked over to stand near Ray, who was now uncontrollably crying. "It's going to be ok," Kai, said putting a hand around Ray's waste.

Ray turned to look at Kai and in a quite voice said. "No its not."

Kai looked at Ray with shock. Only a few moments ago he had said that he would try and put a side the feelings of wanting to kill himself, to stand tall and help everyone else with the death of their dear friend.

Fresh tears began to form in Ray's eyes as he lowered his head.

"Ray I..."

Ray no longer wanted to hear him talk; he no longer wanted to hear the painful sobs of Kenny at the other end of the room. Ray pushed Kai away from him and run up the stairs running towards the room that he and Kai shared.

"Ray!" Kai shouted as he moved to go follow him, but stopped as he heard Tyson begin to speak.

"How could this possibly happen, Max was perfect...he was" Tyson sobbed as he put his head in his hands.

Kai wasn't sure how to handle this, he wasn't used to all this emotion, and he wasn't trained for this. 'Get me out of here!' his head screamed as he headed out the back door to leave all the boys to there own sadness as he dealt with the feelings inside that he had to get rid of.

Kai screamed as loud as he could, falling to his knees in the process. Letting every feeling of emotion that was in him pour out. He could no longer handle the crying, the continuous sobs that he heard from Ray during the night, any of it. "Why can't this all go away? Why can't this go back to the way it was?"

Kai looked out beyond the garden that was situated in front of him, to the lake. Kai Remembered happy memories, from times when the team had won tournaments, when they spent so much time together.

Flash Back

"Tyson you're getting distracted! Concentrate!" Kai yelled from the wall that he was leaning against to watch Tyson and Max battle it out in Tyson backyard dish.

"Of course I'm getting distracted, you keep yelling at me. How can anyone concentrate with that!" Tyson shouted back as he watched his blade get knocked around by Max's Draseal.

"Can you two cool it I'm trying to win here," Max said as he watched his blade try and knock Tyson's blade out of the dish.

"Not so fast," a voice said as a blade came flying out of nowhere to land in the dish and to knock out Max's Draseal.

"What the...?" Max said as he looked around to see where the unknown blade could of come from.

As Max continued looking for where the blade had come from he still had no idea. Until he looked over to Kai.

"It's to bad that all cats hate water," Kai said as he produced his Dronzer and set it to launch into the dish.

Max new exactly what Kai meant by that statement and went in search for the hose.

Kai launched his blade into the dish knocking Tyson's blade out wanting to take this battle for himself.

"Oh come on man, I was just starting to beat this guy," Tyson said as he went to pick up his blade.

"I will finish it," Kai said with a slight smirk, as he knew that the white tiger that they all knew would get his just deserts.

"Well I hope you have fun then," Tyson said with a bit of a sigh as he saw what max was doing out of the corner of his eye.

Max was now right behind the tree that the tiger was sitting in to watch his blade knock around Dronzer.

"Now Max!" Kai shouted as Max hit Ray with the cold water and Kai knocked Drigger out of the dish.

With the force of the water Ray was knocked out of the tree that he was sitting in and fell on an unaware Tyson.

"Hey that was cold," Ray said as he was still sitting on Tyson.

"Well that is what you get for interrupting a battle that you were not meant to be participating in," Kai said walking over to Tyson and Ray.

"Hey get off me!" Tyson shouted from underneath Ray, pushing him off in the process.

"Here let me help you up," Kai said as he held out a hand for Tyson and helped him up. Then held a hand out for Ray.

"Who's idea was it for the water," Tyson said with a shiver as he turned around to look at Max.

"Kai's," Max said squirting the water at Tyson getting Kai and Ray in the process.

"Great now its your turn," Ray said pulling Kai down to the ground.

As they rolled around for a bit on the ground getting extremely wet and muddy, Ray eventually won being on top. As Ray sat there for a moment with Kai under him, he smiled.

Kai went to say something, but before he could Ray moved in and planted his lips on Kai's.

End of Flash Back

Kai smiled these were the good times. The first time him and Ray had kissed, the moment that had changed him for good.


	5. I Hate Everything About You

Chapter Five

**I Hate Every Thing About You**

Ray was interrupted from his sobs when he heard an almighty scream from outside his window. Ray moved from where he was sitting on the bed over to the window seat and looked out the window to see Kai, kneeling on the ground.

Ray knew this would be hard for Kai, as he didn't know the types of emotions that everyone went through. He didn't even cry when he found out that Max died in Ray's arms. It was all because of the way he was trained in the abbey. That place had changed him for good and it would take Kai years to become accustom to the emotions that everyone should have.

"Oh Kai, I wish that I could make things different for you," Ray said to himself as the tears returned to his eyes. "I want the pain to go away, I want things to be the way they were."

Tyson remained where everyone had left him. The emotions that everyone still felt were still strong, and they could not cope with Tyson's as well.

"What happened while I was a way, how could anyone of let this happen?" Tyson asked himself as he still held his face in his hands.

Tyson looked up as he suddenly realised something for himself. He quickly stood up and looked around for the teen that he sought, noticing that he was outside he walked out the sliding doors to him.

"Why didn't you stop him, why didn't you try and save him?"

Kai got to his feet and turned to look at the distraught Tyson. "What do you mean Tyson?"

"Your our captain, our leader, we trust you with our lives. Why didn't you try and stop Max?" he asked again hoping that Kai will give him an answer.

"Yes I am your captain and I am your leader, but I can't follow ever move you make and try and figure out what other peoples moves will be. When Tala shot Max I-"

"Tala...Tala shot Max?" Tyson asked hoping what Kai had said was incorrect.

"Yes, its true," Kai said bowing his head.

Tyson bowed his head to the side as he tried to let the news sink in with out him bursting into tears. "As an ex-Demolition boy you should have know of this kind of behaviour," Tyson said.

"How was I supposed to know that Tala was going to try something stupid like this? I am not his minder and I am defiantly not yours or anybody else in this team!" Kai shouted as he pointed to Tyson then to the house indicating to the people in question.

"No, but you were the one we trusted, we trusted you with our lives, Max most of all. And now he's dead and it is all your fault!" Tyson shouted through his pain.

"Well now you know never to put your trust in me, cause as you can see people wind up dead," Kai said as he turned his back on Tyson and began to walk away.

"Why you..." Tyson pounced on Kai's back pushing him to the ground where he started to punch and kick him.

Ray looked out the window again trying to control his crying, as he watched Kai begin to talk to Tyson. He was hoping that Tyson might be able to try and get some of Kai's strength, as there are still hard times to come. Ray watched a bit longer as he saw Kai turn his back on Tyson and to see Tyson start attacking Kai.

"Kai!" Ray cried as he got up from where he sat and began to run to his aid.

Kenny sat on his bed in his room, huddled into a little ball. He didn't like sharing his pain, he knew he would just get in the way of everyone else as they tried to cope of the loss of their dearest friend. The one that always wore a smile on his face no matter what was happening.

Kenny sighed through a sob that was trying to break free. He missed him, he missed Max so much, but he didn't want it to show, he wanted to be strong, he wanted to be strong like Kai, so he could help everyone out. But with every thought that he gets of Max, or if he sees the pictures that they have of him around the house, with Tyson, by himself or with the group, he can't help it he just breaks down. He didn't want it to affect him this much, he shouldn't let it affect him this much.

Kenny wiped his eyes and stood up from his bed and was about to go over to Dizzy when he heard a cry come from outside his door.

Kenny rushed out of his room to see Ray running down the stair to outside the house. 'What's going on? Please god, please tell me that non of my friends are hurt?' Kenny followed soon after Ray to see what was going on.

"Tyson stop it!" Ray cried as he came outside to see Tyson punching and kicking Kai. "Get off him!"

Ray turned to the house to hear someone coming, only to see it was Kenny.

Kenny rushed past Ray to push Tyson off Kai. "Get off him." Kenny said as stood between Tyson and Kai

"Kai are you ok?" Ray said as he rushed to Kai's side looking him over for injuries.

"I'm fine," Kai answered in his cold-hearted voice, as he helped himself up.

"I hate you!" Tyson shouted as he to got to his feet and was stopped by Kenny before he pounced on Kai again.

Kai turned to face him and wiped the blood away from his lips and spat out some blood that was in his mouth. "You hate me?"

Tyson nodded. "I hate everything about you. I wish you have never come and joined us."

"Kai, he doesn't mean that," Ray said as he came to Kai's side. "He is just emotional."

"No let him speak. If he has something to say he might as well say it now," Kai said looking to Ray who was situated beside him then to Tyson who was still being held back by Kenny. "Come on Tyson no one has stopped you talking before, so please continue."

"Ever since you joined the Bladebreakers you have been a cold hearted bastard, treating us all like shit. But then one day you changed, we all made you see that we were your friends," Tyson said as Kenny had loosen his grip on him. "Things changed around here and we all became friends, we put our trust in you. Ray most of all, as he had realised how much of a connection you to shared."

Kai turned to Ray and looked at him. Tyson was right Ray and he did share a special bond, a bond that no one else shared.

"The connection that you sheared with Ray made you see things from a different perspective, and turned you into how are today," Tyson moved forward. "What happened to you Kai, what changed in you when I went away?"

"Nothing changed in him Tyson, Kai is the same person he was when you left," Kenny told him as he moved forward to stand next to the blue haired blader.

"Maybe for you, but he will never be the same to me or Max," Tyson said pushing past Kai to go back into the house and to his room that he and Max shared once, before he left to go over seas.

Kenny looked to Kai and Ray who were standing there in silence. "I will leave you to alone now," he said with a slight smile as he began to walk away.

"Kenny!" Ray called after the small boy as he slightly followed him.

Kenny turned to look at the White Tiger that.

"Thanks. Thanks for coming to my aid and helping Kai," Ray said with a slight smile. "I don't know what I would have done with out you."

Kenny slightly smiled and walked up the wooden steps to get to the back entrance to the house.

Ray watched Kenny walk into the house then turned to see Kai walking through the garden to get to the lake that was situated at the back of there home that the BBA had supplied to them. Ray followed slowly behind Kai so not to disturb him, as he knew that he like his space.


	6. I miss him

Chapter Six

**I miss him**

Since Max's death, Ray knew that he and Kai hadn't talked like they used to. Muck around and talk about there plans, plans about their future together and about tournaments that were going to be taking place.

Ray rested against a nearby tree and he watched Kai go to the edge of the water, as he picked up a stone and skipped it across the water.

"I know you're there," Kai said as he kept his eyes on the water that was in front of him.

"You always knew when I was around," Ray said, as he didn't move from the tree that he was leaning on.

"Well that is because I can feel you near me Tiger," Kai said with a slight smirk, as he knew that was true. As ever since that he had join the team he could always feel the Tiger near him, even before he knew about the connection they shared. "It's a sixth sense."

Ray got up from the tree that he leaned on and walked over to Kai who still hadn't looked at him. "Kai why don't we talk like we used to?" Ray asked as he came to stand by Kai.

Kai swallowed hard. "It might be because we have had a loss Ray, we need time to adjust and get things in the open that we need to." Kai said as he picked up another stone and skipped it further then the last.

"Things into the open," Ray sighed and sat down on the ground. "Wow this is a difficult subject for the both of us Kai, are you sure you want us to attempt this now?" Ray asked as he looked up to the older boy.

Kai looked down to Ray then to the lake that stretched out for miles in front of them. "Ray, I think it is time, there is still so much that you don't know about me, and there is going to be a lot that you never get a chance to know. I also know that there is a lot you haven't told me, especially about the feelings that you still have bottled up inside of you about Max's death," Kai came down to sit next to Ray. "I want to help you Ray, it's just your not letting me in."

"I want to let you in Kai, honestly I do, it's just that once I let you in I don't want to lose you," Ray said looking into his lovers crimson eyes.

"Ray you will never lose me," Kai said as he hugged Ray tightly. "I promise you that I will never leave you."

Ray and Kai stayed in each other's embrace for a few moments until they decided that they best go inside, as the weather had begun to turn on them.

"Kenny!" Ray called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah Ray?" Kenny asked as he came quickly down the stairs, to meet the boy that had called him.

"We were wondering if you needed anything?" Ray asked with a slight smile, still thankful for what the boy had done earlier on.

"No I'm right thanks," Kenny said as he returned the smile, glad to see that Ray had smiled again.

"Has Tyson come out of his room?" Ray asked worried for the Dragon keeper. He was worried that Tyson might try and pull something like he had tried through out the week.

"No he hasn't. Do you want me to see if he needs anything?"

"No I might go and ask him, but thanks anyway Kenny." Ray walked past Kenny and down the hall to the room that they had all left untouched since Max's death. "Tyson?" Ray asked as he lightly knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

There were a few sobs from the teen that was in the room, then a quite yes.

Ray slowly opened the door, and quietly walked into the darkened room. All the lights were off and the blinds were closed. All that you saw was a figure that was huddled up into a little ball on a large bed that was once for two.

"Tyson," Ray said softly as he came to stand behind the teen.

"Ray I want him back, I want to feel him in my arms, I want to hear him laugh again...I want...I just want him back," Tyson said as he struggled to breath through the sobs that started to become uncontrollable.

"I know Tyson," Ray said as he lay down next to the teen that was trying to come to terms with his lover's death. "We all want him back so much." Ray to had begun to cry again. "We all miss him so much." Ray held Tyson as they both cried through their pain.

Kai laid down on a lounge in the lounge room, waiting for Ray to return from Tyson's room. He thought about what he and Ray had talked about before they had decided to come inside. Kai knew it was the time that they let things out in the open, even though there were things that he was never going to tell Ray. Things that he had done his past, things that even the worst of people would be disgusted of.

Kai began to hear footsteps coming down the stairs so he quickly sat up to see if it was his White Tiger. "Ray?"

"No sorry Kai, its only me. Kenny," Kenny said as he walked past the lounge room to the kitchen.

Kai watched him walk past then laid back down on the lounge, crossing his arms over his chest in the process and closed his eyes. 'This will be one of the hardest things that I will have to do in my whole life,' Kai thought to himself. 'I hope you will understand why I kept it from you Ray.'


	7. Battle with the conscious

Chapter Seven

**Battle with the conscious **

Ray awoke when he could feel the younger teen move underneath his arm. Ray looked down to Tyson's tear drenched face. It took him awhile to get the broken hearted boy to sleep. He had so many questions, which Ray wasn't ready to answer, this was the kind of thing that he needed Kai for. Kai was the strong one; he was the one that they all depended on, for support in tuff situations.

Slowly and as softly as he could he moved away from Tyson. He didn't want to wake him up as he new it would be difficult for the teenager to start a brand new day with the knowledge he has.

"I hope that you will find the peace that you need, Dragon," Ray said softly said as he quietly left the room to go in search of his love.

Ray walked down the hall and past Kenny's room until he got to his own which Kai and he shared. When he opened the door and walked in, the room was flooded with sunshine.

Once Ray's eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed that Kai wasn't in their bed. He walked over the bathroom to see that he wasn't in there either. Ray walked out of the room and down stairs and looked into the lounge room to see that one of Kai's navy blue shirts rested on an armchair.

"Dranzer!"

Ray turned to look to the kitchen, as he knew beyond that was a phoenix trying to win. Ray smiled and looked around the lounge room to find his blade, and left out the front door to go around the back to surprise Kai.

"Dranzer!" Kai shouted as he released his blade into the dish. Kai shook his head; he knew that he shouldn't be thinking about backing out now, not after he told Ray that they had to let things out in the open. "I can't. I won't, I can't let myself push these things back into the past like I have done before."

Kai readied his blade to release it again into the dish that was situated in front of him. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath as the wind cooled off his sweaty body that was exposed, as readied himself. The Bladebreakers had a competition coming up, and Kai wasn't going to force anyone to train, not after all that they had been through, he would wait until everyone thought that themselves were ready to come back and train.

Kai opened his eyes and starred at the dish then stood in position to release his blade. 'Dranzer will be ready. He always ready for everything.' Kai released his blade, with it hitting the bottom of the dish and began to spin.

Ray looked at Kai deep in thought, he had always wondered what he thought about, sometimes he thought it would be scary to be Kai. Always in control, always knowing what was wrong and what was right, he thought that Kai never really had a life.

Ray saw Kai ready his blade. 'This is my chance,' he thought as he also readied his blade from where he stood.

He saw Kai release his blade with a grunt. 'Time to dance with the Drigger Kai.' Ray released his blade with as much force as he possible could. 'You can do this Drigger, I know you can.'

Kai watched his blade silently, and was shaken from his concentration when he heard what sounded like another blade come towards the dish. As it hit the bay stadium he noticed that the blade belonged to the tiger that had haunted his thoughts. "Ray," he breathed as he looked around him to notice the teen near the wall behind him.

"I guess you don't always have the sixth sense," Ray said walking over to the dish, where Kai was standing.

Kai looked back to where Ray's and his blade were battling. He couldn't look at Ray, as his heart and head began to fight with one another.

"I think is time that we had that talk," Ray said as he too looked into the bay stadium.

As Ray looked he noticed that Dranzer was out of control. He was spinning at a rapid rate and was losing balance as he spun around the dish.

Ray looked in surprise as he looked to Kai that was also looking at his blade. In theory the blades energy usually flowed from it's keepers emotions, and Kai's emotions where usually in tacked due to his training from the abbey. "Kai?"

Kai looked at Ray, whereby his blade flew out of the bay stadium and into a tree.

Both the bladers looked at the tree where Dranzer landed.

"Kai what is going on?" Ray asked wondering if he had finally cracked due to all emotion around him.

"Nothing," he said as he gained his composure and walked over to tree where his blade was imbedded. "I think I'm just having a bad run today."

"Are you sure?"

Kai looked at Ray and smiled to him, trying to cover what was beginning to break him inside.

"Are you not telling me something?" Ray asked knowing that there was something wrong with Kai.

"Can you please stop asking me that," Kai said as he came over to Ray and leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on his lips. "There is nothing wrong with me. I just came out here for a quick blade to think."

Ray looked at him as if he wasn't telling the truth.

Kai kissed him again. "Now if you're done with the twenty questions, I'm going to take a shower."

"Yeah sorry, I just thought there was something that you need to talk about," Ray said as he placed a hand on Kai's sweaty chest and he felt the muscles move under his hand.

"No problem. We look out for other in the time of need, you just thought it was my time, so there is not biggie," Kai said as he picked up the hand that Ray had placed on his chest. "Now it is my time to go and have a shower, so I'll see you later ok." Kai kissed his hand then walked up the steps and went into the house were he continued his way up the stairs and into Ray and his room and went to have the shower.


	8. Desicion which had to be made

Chapter Eight

**A decision, which had to be made**

Ray looked down to his blade that continued to spin in the dish. Thoughts still ran through his mind about how Kai's blade had managed to lose control just moments ago.

"What aren't you telling me Kai?" Ray looked up to where Kai's and his room was, the blinds where still opened from the day before where Kai and he didn't sleep in there bed. Ray due to comforting the blue-headed blader, Tyson as he came to terms of Max's death, and Kai's being unknown.

Ray went and picked up Driger, _well Driger it looks like you didn't get the match that we had both hoped for._ Ray thought as he knew that the Bitbeast would of heard him.

"What is wrong with me, why can't I tell Ray everything? Why can't I let him in as he has let me in?" Kai thought as he paced around Ray and his bedroom. The emotions that were building up inside of him were starting to drive him crazy. He wasn't used to this type of emotion in all his born days.

Ever since Kai was a child, all his memories were of the Abbey and his grandfather. Memories of him battling with his Bitbeast Dranzer. Training at the Abbey, training to become the best. He never was taught to handle all these emotions that he was getting and what Ray was sharing.

Kai sat on his bed and held his head in his hands. _I must get rid of them. Or I am going to end up losing my insanity._ Kai looked up to where a mirror hung on the wall in Ray and his room. He saw a face that he hadn't seen in about six months. It was the face that he had used when he had first met the Bladebreakers. It was his cold face. "It is time."

Hours had past since Ray had seen Kai, he thought that Kai just needed some time to be with himself so he had left him to do so. But now he was starting to get worried, it wasn't like Kai to be kept up in their room for this long.

Ray knocked on their door and walked into their room, the sight he saw wasn't what he was expecting to see.

"Kai?" Ray looked at their bed. On it was a bag filled with clothes, and by the look of it, it was Kai's.

Kai came out of the bathroom to see a confused Ray waiting for answers; he stopped walking and waited for Ray to say something.

"Kai what is going on? What is...this?" Ray asked pointing to the bag that lay on their bed.

Kai throw his toiletry bag on their bed. "Ray I have to go back home for awhile."

"What do you mean that you have to go back home?" Ray stressed. "You can't leave now. Not with Max's funeral next week."

"I have to. I can't..." Kai looked away from Ray. This was a moment where his training and what he felt couldn't help him any more. This was Kai's weakest moment. "...I can't handle this anymore."

"What do you mean what can't you handle?"

"This," Kai through up his arms. "I can't handle what is going on in this house, what's inside me." Kai step forward to Ray. "I wasn't ready for all this."

"Kai what was there to be ready for this is life...like you told me, things happen that we can't change." Ray turned around and walked away from him, he couldn't believe that the boy that he loved was running away from him, from what was happing. Ray turned to him. "So your just going to run away from what is happing. From us?"

Kai saw the sadness that was in Ray's eyes, he knew that this was going to hurt the keeper of the tiger bitbeast. "I am not running away from us, or from what is happing here. I am just going home to seek some guidance. You know me Ray; I would never run away from anything that stood in my path."

"Well I'm guessing that this time you are," Ray said walking out of the room.

Kai sighed. He didn't want to leave on this type of note. He loved Ray and he never wanted to hurt him, but this is something he has to do, if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to control what happened in the future.

_I can't believe him, him of all people should know how we feel about people that leave._ "Why is he doing this to me?" Ray asked himself as he sat down on the front steps of the house.

"What's wrong Ray?" a small voice asked.

Ray looked around to see the boy that they all called the Chief. "Kenny," Ray smiled and then thought of what was going on upstairs in his room. "Oh...nothing."

"I can't be nothing if you are looking upset...are you thinking of Max again?" Kenny asked as he took a seat on the step beside Ray.

"No it's not that...it's...Kai-"

"Why what has he done...has he hurt you?" Kenny asked jumping to conclusions.

"Kenny chill, he hasn't hurt me or anything like that," Ray said kind of comforted that the small boy cared so much.

Kenny looked at him strangely. _Why is he upset for then, if Kai hasn't hurt him and he isn't thinking of Max? _"Then what's wrong Ray?"

"He...he is leaving," Ray stood up and away from the step that he was sitting on and the boy that he was sitting next to. "He is running away from what we share, what we have. He says that he can't handle what is going on in this house, what is going on inside him."

"Ray you have got to understand something," Kenny said as he got up to go over and comfort the older boy. "Kai isn't like us. And he never will be like us. He wasn't brought up to feel these kinds of emotions."

"But Kenny you don't understand the bond that Kai and I share, we are meant to help each other in these kinds of situations..." Ray took a deep breath. "How am I meant to live if he is not with me?"

Kenny looked at the tiger as tears began to well in his eyes. He didn't know what he was meant to do, he didn't know what they were all meant to do when their captain leaves them to going on his journey for answers.

Both Kenny and Ray looked to the front door as it began to open. There standing in the doorway was Kai, already to leave the house, the Breakers and Ray.

Kenny looked away from Kai. He had, had enough of everyone leaving him; he couldn't stand there and watch as another one of his friends left him.

Kai looked to the small boy. "I know what your thinking Kenny."

"Oh really and what's that Kai?" Kenny asked letting his anger get the better of him. "What do you think I am thinking? Do you think that I am thinking that the only person in this team that has kept us strong is now leaving us?"

Kai was taken back as the boy let out his emotion. "Kenny I'm not leaving you or the team for good. I'm just going to be gone for a few days."

Kenny didn't want to hear it, as he pushed passed Kai and went inside and up to his room.

Kai watched as the boy ran into the house then looked back to his love that was left on the porch. "Do you understand why I am doing this, why I am leaving?"

Ray didn't answer he just stood there with his arms crossed in front of him.

"I am not running away from you or the team. I know that you might think that but, if I don't go away for a few days to sort out the stuff in my head I might end up hurting myself or the people around me." Kai put his stuff down and walked over to Ray. "And I know deep in my heart that I couldn't bare to hurt you."

Ray looked away from Kai for a moment. He was scared. He was scared that Kai wouldn't come back, he thought if he went away and thought that life was better with out him and the Breakers he would stay away from them for good. Ray sighed then looked back to Kai. "I understand that you have to leave...but promise me that you will come back to us Kai, back the team and back to me, as I wouldn't be able to bare living with out you?"

Kai nodded and leaned in and kissed Ray passionately. Kai knew that he wouldn't be able to hold the tiger in his arms for a while so he was going to make the most of the moments he shared with him now.

Once they broke apart, Ray reached into Kai's pocket and pulled out his pocketknife, and without another moments thought he grabbed hold of his hair and cut off his horsetail.

Kai watched on in horror as he watched the Chinese boy cut off the hair that he had been growing for all his life. "Ray-"

"Don't say anything Kai, I know what I am doing," Ray said as he cut the last of his hair then held it out in his palm. "I want you take it with you."

Kai took hold of the hair, it was one of the things that he had loved about the boy the first time he had met him. Kai looked up from the hair and to the tiger. "But I have nothing to give you."

"You have already given me the best thing imaginable," Kai looked at him oddly. "Your love and friendship."

Kai smiled at him then embraced him in another hug. "I will miss you my little tiger."

"And I will you my Captain."


	9. I want him Back

Chapter Nine

**I want you back**

Ray bolted a wake all of a sudden in a cold sweat, he was breathing hard and he couldn't focus on his surroundings. He had, had a nightmare of his beloved Kai not returning to him like he had promised the day before.

_He will return. _Ray rubbed his hands over his face, and through his hair, which was now so very short. _He never makes promises that he can't keep._ Ray looked to and ran his hand over the empty spot beside him that used to be occupied by his lover. He couldn't imagine a life without his lover now. If people asked him three years ago he would of happily said that he hated his captain.

Flash Back

"I have had enough of this!" Ray yelled in the Change rooms in one of the BBA training facilities. "I have had enough of this team...and I have had enough of you!" Ray yelled at Kai.

"Then why don't you leave Ray," Kai told him as he stayed clam while leaning on the wall in front of Ray with his eyes closed and his arms crossed. "Why don't you pick and leave, like you did to the white tigers."

"You don't get it do you Kai," Ray said as he moved closer to his captain. "I don't turn my back on my friends."

Kai got of the wall and walked up to Ray, nearly close enough so that they could both feel each other's breathes on their faces. "Friends? I doubt you even know what that word means."

"What are you talking about...of course I know what friends means. You see unlike you Kai I have friends," Ray told him.

"So I guess you were being friends, when you turned your back on the white tigers," Kai said as he walked away slightly then turned to look at Ray. "You see, you and me aren't that different, we both decided what is best for us and we do not care who we hurt in the process."

"I will never be a cold hearted bastard like you. I would kill myself before I become like you."

End of Flash Back

_I just want you back Kai_¸ Ray said as he looked out the window to see the new day starting.

Once Ray got out of bed he went and took a shower and got changed into some clean clothes. Although he knew would be gone for some time, it was also his duty as the older boy in the house to take care of Kenny and Tyson.

Ray looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. _I can do this...how hard can it be?_ Tears began to form in his eyes; he wouldn't be able to this by himself, not now not ever. Kai had been the strength in him, and now that Kai has gone, his strength went with him. Ray felt the bile slowly climb to his throat as he turned and vomited in the toilet beside him.

Ray fell to his knees on the hard titled surface. "Why did you have to do this to me Kai...why did you have to leave me now?" Ray asked out load some how wishing that Kai would walk into the bathroom and tell him that everything was going to be ok, and that he couldn't bare to leave Ray. But some how Ray knew that would never happen that Kai had left them in their time of need and went back to Russia to sort out his own problem, that he couldn't even tell Ray about.

Ray took a few deep breaths and got to his feet flushing the toilet and turning the tap on to let the cold-water flow over his hands before he splashed his face. 'You have to keep it together Ray,' a voice deep within told him. 'Not only for yourself but the team, they depend on you now.'

Tyson sat alone in his room, in the darkness. _Max, why did you leave me? Why did you have to go?_

A soft knock was heard from the door.

"Who...is...it?"

"Tyson it is me...Ray." Ray opened the door slightly. "Can I come in?"

"Ye...yes," Tyson said with a small sniff.

Ray smiled and slowly walked into the dark room. He saw that Tyson hadn't moved much since the day before where they both tried to cry away their sorrows for the boy that meant so much to them and more. "Tyson are you going to come out of your room today?" Ray asked as he took a seat down next to Tyson on the bed.

Tyson shock his head, slowly, and then began to rub his eyes as tears had again began to form. "This is to much for me to handle Ray."

"I know, you just need to take it one step at a time that is all," Ray told him as he pulled Tyson in for a hug. "All of us need to just take it one step at a time."

"But why is that step always have to be the hardest one of all?" Tyson said as he berried his head in Ray's chest.

Once Tyson had fallen asleep Ray left his room. _I guess I am the one that has to put on the mask_, Ray thought as he leaned against Tyson's door. Ray slightly smiled. He had often wondered what it would be like to be Kai, but he never expected that he would have to take his place. A tear rolled down Ray's pale face. _I can't do this bay myself Kai...I can't live my life without you, not now._

"Ray?"

Ray looked away and wiped his tears so that Kenny wouldn't see them. "Yes Kenny?"

Kenny knew that Ray was crying; always when it came to Kai he would cry. "Mr Dickenson has come to see you."

"Thanks Kenny." Ray walked past Kenny and down the stairs to the living room where Mr Dickenson was waiting for him.

"Ray," said a slightly happy Mr Dickenson.

"Hello Mr. Dickenson. What brings you here?" Ray said as they both took a seat opposite each other.

"Well I wish it was on a happier note then this, but we will have to talk about this sooner, rather then later."

"This is about Max's funeral isn't it?"

"Yes it is."

Ray swallowed hard not wanting to cry in front him.

"As the BBA don't think that Tyson would be up to saying something we would like Kai and you to do it as-"

"What didn't he tell you?" Ray asked as he thought that Kai would of told the BBA about him leaving.

"Who didn't tell me what?" Mr. Dickenson said moving forward in his chair.

"He left."

"He what!?" Mr. Dickenson said surprised with what he was hearing

"He left yesterday afternoon," Ray told him holding back the tears. "He went to Russia."


	10. Goodbye Max

Chapter ten

**Goodbye Max**

Weeks had pasted and still no word and no sign of Kai, Ray was starting to worry, not only was it because that Kai said that he wouldn't be long, but also because that today was the day that they all were going to say goodbye to Max.

Ray sighed; it had taken him ages to think of the right words to say about Max, nothing seemed right.

"Ray are you ready?" A small voice asked at his door.

Ray looked to see Kenny smartly dressed in a black suit, similar to the one that Tyson was going to wear. Different to the other boys, Ray had decided to wear a traditional Chinese dress, similar to the clothes that he would normally wear but black. "Yeah I think so…but then again I doubt anyone is ready for this sort of thing."

"True," Kenny gave a weak smile. "Tyson said that he wouldn't come out unless you were going to be there."

Ray stood up and grabbed his speech from the desk where he had written it and put it in on of his pockets. "Ok I better go get him." Slowly Ray walked to Tyson's room, hoping that the blue-headed boy would be ready.

Over the past week Tyson had only came out of his room a small number of times. Mostly for odd dinners that the three remaining breakers shared. Ray over the past week had to make some hard decisions, some that he thought through long and hard, most of the decisions where of the team. Now with Kai gone, would the team go on? Or would Kai come back in time to be there for the next bey battle?

"Tyson are you ready?" Ray asked knocking on the door twice.

The door slowly opened and the keeper of Dragoon walked out. "I will never be ready to say goodbye to my Max."

The trip over to the church was quite, none of the three bladers wanting to speak of what was taking place on that day.

As soon as the three boys had arrived they walked into the packed church, seeing members of other beyblading teams that had come to pay their last respects to a fine bey blader. White Tigers, All Starz, Majestics and many others.

Tyson, Kenny and Ray walked to the front pews where they saw Max's mum and dad and Mr. Dickenson. They all exchanged hugs before they sat and waited for the mass to begin.

The mass started with _Tears in Heaven, _by _Eric Clapton_ As the priest that was going to do the mass walked in. Already Tyson, Kenny and Max's Mother was in tears.

_Hold yourself together Ray_, Ray kept repeating to himself as he watched the priest proceed with the mass.

Most of the mass was a blur to Ray until it came to the part where the mass was over and he, among with Tyson, Kenny, Michael from the All Stars and Max's Dad had to carry Max to the rear by cemetery.

Tyson and Ray took the front of the coffin and Michael and Max's dad took the back. They exited the church with a song done by _Evanescence_ Max's favourite band. _My Immortal._ With most of the people following the coffin to the burial site, they didn't have to wait long for the rest of the people to come.

The priest called forth for the people that were going to speak the eulogies. Michael of the All Starz and Tyson and Ray.

Michael spoke first. He spoke of what a great blader Max was, and his team spirit.

Tyson was next. Stopping the tears that flowed uncontrollably earlier on. "Max wasn't just a friend that I would blade with, or my boyfriend that I would want to share the rest of my life with." Tyson took a deep breath and looked at all the people that were watching him. "He was my soul mate, my guarding angel. Max was always there when I needed him the most, but I guess when Max needed me I wasn't there for him." Tyson looked up to the blue sky above them, as he could feel the urge to cry again. "I'm sorry Maxie…I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me, I'm sorry for not being the person that you wanted me to be…I'm so sorry."

Tyson in tears, feel to his knees on the ground and a nearby Kenny hugged the blue-headed boy.

Ray took a deep breath, as it was his turn to pay his last respects. "Max was a friend, our team-mate, and as some would put it one of our long lost brothers. I had trouble thinking of what I could say today, that wouldn't be so corny, or something that had been done so many times before me. You see the person that I turned to a lot of the time had left me, and the words that I thought would of come naturally so many times before, didn't. I know the life that was lost to all of us will never be replaced, and with the times that we had shared with this kindred spirit we will hold close to our hearts forever. With the words I say on this day, I know people will forget, so I pray that you all think of the most happiest moment that you shared with Max and keep it locked away, as I know I will and I'll think of it everyday as I try and live on with out the laughter, the smiles and the conversations that I once shared with him."

Ray let out a suppressed breath out and put his shaking hands in his pockets. It was over; he had shared his thoughts to everyone that had come to this day.

"Its ok Tyson let it out."

Ray looked down to where Kenny was hugging a crying Tyson. _I know how you feel Tyson, losing a loved one. But I don't I don't know how I feel about knowing that Kai is out there and not going to come back to me, or the team._ Ray looked over to where they were lowering the coffin into the ground.

_Ray I wish that you knew I was here…I wish that I could hold you and tell you that everything is going to be ok_, Kai thought as he stood his distance in a shadow of a tree as he watched the friends and family of Max say their last goodbyes.

Kai had been back in Japan for a couple of days now, but never had the heart to go back into the one place that he wanted to be.

He had been to Russia, he had done the work, but he hadn't quit perfected it yet. He wanted his feelings to be in check, he wanted to be perfect before he went back into the belly of the beast, so to speak.

Kai squeezed something in his pocket. _Now that I have this…I've got everything._

All three of the remaining Blade Breakers went to the grave to throw down a flower.

"We will miss you Maxie," Tyson said as he throws down a yellow rose.

Ray and Kenny followed suit, each tossing in their rose that they wanted to give to Max.

"We will miss you buddy," Kenny said wiping some tears on his shirt.

Kenny walked off with Tyson to the car and Ray was left with his thoughts and so he could say goodbye to his friend.

"Well I guess this will be the last time we can have one of our talks," Ray smiled as he knelt down on one knee in front of the open grave in front of him. "What am I going to do with out you Max? Who am I going to tell all my Kai problems to?" Ray wiped his tears away and put his head in his hands.

"Well if you have a problem with me I would hope that you would tell me," a husky voice said behind the white tiger.

Ray looked up. He knew who that voice belonged to but he couldn't believe that it was his. Ray stood up still not turning to see if that was Kai. "Now please tell me your not going to disappear if I turn around?"

"I won't."

Ray turned to see that Kai was standing behind him. Wearing black cargo pants, a black shirt that he could make out and a black cloak with the hood up. "Kai?"

Kai raised his arms up and lifted the hood off his head and let it fall down to his shoulders. "In the flesh."

Ray wasn't sure if he should be anger with the Russian teen or happy. He had been gone for so long and without even calling to say that he was ok, or too see if the remaining breakers were ok.

"Your hair has begun to grow," Kai said pointing out that small detail.

Ray slightly smiled and touched the hair that had begun to grow in place or the horsetail that he had cut off for his love. "Yeah you get that after the time that it has been cut."

Kai looked away, he thought that this would be a civilised conversation. "Ray I-"

"No Kai I don't want excuses. You know they asked you to read at the funeral, I had to turn that down for you." Kai didn't answer. "Max would have liked that, his captain, the one that he looked up to, reading at his funeral."

"Ray I don't want to hear this," Kai said turning away from him, and began to walk away but stopped and looked to the raven-haired boy. "You know if I stayed in that house with you three I would have lost it. I was so close to going totally insane in that place, I just had to get out of there." Kai walked back to standing in front of Ray. "You know me Ray, I can't handle all these emotions. I'm trying, I really am, but because of all the training I had at a young age it's just hard." Kai put his hand on Ray's cheek.

Ray leaned into the warm hand that was resting on his cheek. Then looked up to the slate-haired blader. "What do you expect me to do?"

"Don't tell anyone that I'm back, I will come back when I am ready, there are just a few more things that I have to sort out." Kai smiled. "It was good seeing you again Ray" Kai walked back a few steps still looking at Ray, and then turned putting his hood back up to cover his face.

"I promise," Ray whispered.


End file.
